Sound Issues - Sound Starts at 11:23

Join this powerful sermon on the difference between how religion and Jesus respond to "notorious sinners".  It created a scandal at Simon the Pharisee's party!  A prostitute, who's life was most likely changed by Jesus' invitation "Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens", shows up uninvited.  She weeps with joy and gratitude over the love, redemption and purpose she has discovered in Jesus. Then she wipes Jesus' feet with her hair and anoints Him with her most valuable possession, her perfume. The irony is that Simon the Pharisee, the host of the party, should have done all of these things for Jesus. The moment Jesus entered his home, Simon should have washed Jesus' feet and anointed Him with "essence of roses", but he didn't. Simon's lack of respect for Jesus was magnified by the women's outpouring of gratitude and love. At Branches religious is not who we are. Our mission is to follow the example of Jesus by loving those who might otherwise be seen as unlovable or an enemy.